Top: Interior living spaces now open
seamlessly to outdoor patios, water fountains
and a walled private garden.
Left: Preserving elements of the home's
original California ranch bungalow style (deep
overhangs, exposed rafter tails and strong
indoor-outdoor relationships) was key to the
success of the remodel.
Right: The remodel opened the kitchen to the
dining and living rooms to create one larger
space. Granite countertops and mahogany
cabinets add to the sophistication of the space.
inside, the team left the 2 by 6 tongue-andgroove ceiling from the 1950s exposed,
refinished it and added track lighting in
key areas.
Limestone was selected for the door
sills in the kitchen and bathroom. The
owner wanted a detailed seahorse coat of
arms, the house address and name of the
villa carved in limestone as well. On one
of his trips to Bali, Cronshaw found a mas-
ter carver who performed the intricate
work in two weeks for a reasonable price.
He brought them back and inlaid them into
the entry gate's plaster wall.
When the $480,600 remodel was finished, the home was still a compact 1,627
sq. ft. but felt much larger. Mendro says
that it's refreshing to see the trend toward
maintaining existing structures and smaller living spaces. "Sustainable practices
have people adapting existing homes to
their needs rather than expending the
energy to create something new. This is a
great remodel and demonstrates the shift
in focus from a bigger home to smaller but
of better quality."
KJ Fields writes from Portland, Ore., about remodeling and design.
ForResidentialPros.com
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January 2013
33